Castrol, one of the world’s leading lubricant brands and Official Sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, has brought together pioneers from the worlds of football and motorsport to create Castrol Footkhana; an innovative experiment that sees Brazilian star Neymar Jr take on new Castrol Ambassador and global rally icon Ken Block.

In the challenge, an unexpected series of events unfold, as Ken and Neymar Jr team up with freestylers Andrew Henderson, Séan Garnier and Lassi Hurskainen to push the boundaries of performance and attempt ground-breaking new skills.

In Castrol Footkhana, Castrol continues its proud history of fuelling pioneers by bringing together the most innovative performers in their respective fields. You have Castrol Ambassador Neymar Jr leading a team of world champion freestyle footballers against Ken Block and his rally car, powered by Castrol’s strongest oil, Castrol EDGE boosted with TITANIUM FST.

The film, set on a specially designed Castrol Footkhana course, features the stars outperforming each other in a game of one-upmanship, showing off the skills and tricks that make them the modern pioneers of their sports.

Neymar Jr’s strength under pressure is put to the test as Ken expertly controls his car on the smoke-filled course, racing by in a series of breath-taking manoeuvres. Neymar Jr showcases his electric pace, skill and renowned finishing ability, which Brazilians hope will play a pivotal part in their country’s quest to lift the World Cup trophy in July.

Neymar Jr’s performance is matched by Ken Block, who demonstrates supreme precision and control to score spectacular goals and make unbelievable saves. Not to be outdone, Neymar Jr’s freestyler teammates respond with a series of creative, highly technical tricks under the guidance of fellow Castrol Ambassador and two-time FIFA World Cup™ winner, Cafu, making this an exhilarating and closely-fought contest.

Neymar Jr, commenting on the project, said: “It has been amazing to work with Ken Block and the other freestylers, bringing our skills together in this Castrol experiment. I can’t wait for football fans to see our freestyle tricks in action as we go head-to-head against Ken and his car.”

Ken Block, who will also be featuring in a number of upcoming Castrol campaigns over the next 12 months, said: “I’m stoked to partner up with Castrol again this season. I know my fans are going to enjoy this Footkhana film since it’s a spin on my Gymkhana series, integrating some of the best freestyle football players in the world.”

A. S. Ramchander, VP Global Marketing at Castrol, said: “Both Neymar Jr and Ken Block have demonstrated amazing levels of skill in their respective sports and we see a great synergy between their pioneering spirits and what our brand stands for. Our sponsorship of the 2014 FIFA World Cup has given us the perfect opportunity to pair up Ken with Neymar Jr to bring to life Castrol’s passion for superior performance, innovation and football.”